Bulgarian club Ludogorets is reportedly preparing for a new era, with Spanish coach Albert Rijera (44) emerging as the main candidate for the Razgrad team. According to local media reports, Ludogorets' management is fascinated by the "Spanish model" that has proven successful at Sofia's Levski and intends to apply the same approach in their team.

Rijera is currently a free agent after being dismissed by Eintracht Frankfurt on Monday. What's particularly interesting for Serbian football fans is that Rijera was linked with Red Star Belgrade at the end of last year, specifically during the speculation around Vladan Milojević's departure. At the time, Rijera was considered a serious candidate but did not join the club, instead moving to Eintracht Frankfurt shortly after.

Rijera's tenure at Eintracht Frankfurt was not successful, as the team managed only four wins, five draws, and five losses in 14 matches, failing to qualify for European competitions. German media also reported strained relationships within the club and a loss of player confidence, leading to his departure.

Despite this, Rijera's coaching credentials are still highly regarded due to his successful tenure with Slovenian club Olimpija Ljubljana, where he won the double in the 2022/23 season, and with Celje, where he led the team to a dominant league title and a quarter-final appearance in the Conference League.

If Rijera joins Ludogorets, it would signal a complete overhaul in Razgrad, with current coach Per-Matias Hogmo on his way out, and the club planning a significant overhaul of the playing squad. Among the players set to leave Ludogorets are Dinis Almeida, Pedro Naresi, Olivier Verdon, and Mateus Machado.

(Telegraf.rs)